Improvement in knapsacks



Warren STATES Pnrnrwr JUSEPH SHORT, 0F BOSTON, ASSIGNOR T0 ABETE H. SHRT, F SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN KNAPSACKS.

Spcciiication forming part of Letters Patent No. 37,203, dated December 16, 1862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrn SHORT, of Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and usefulmprovenient in the Mode of Slinging Knapsacks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, like letters in the several figures indicating the same parts, and in which drawings- Figure l indicates a knapsack with my improvements thereon; Fig. 2, a view showing the neck-yoke or neckband with its shoulderstraps detached from the knapsack-body and in position for use as an ofcers blanketstrap,77 or for use to carry a single blanket or overcoat on forced marches, scouting or picket duty. Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the application of steady-pins at the bottom of the knapsack, whereby the knapsack is prevented from swaying sidewise upon the back of the soldier while on the doublequick;7 and whereby also the pinching of the neck-yoke strap beneath the armpits is prevented, such pinching taking place when the ends of the said neck-yoke strap are buckled directly to the bottom of the knapsack, as shown in the patents granted to me :for improvement in knapsacks, dated November, 12, 1861, and January 28, 1862.

In Fig. il, A indicates the body portion of a knapsack, to the top of which a blanket or overcoat, Z), is confined by the ordinary strapfastenings, c. B indicates the neck-yoke or main suspending` band, secured to the top of the body portion of the knapsack, as described in my aforesaid patent of January 28, 1862, to which reference is hereby made for more particular description. The extremities or ends d d of said neck yoke or band, unlike said patent, T now make to connect or buckle with steady pieces or projections e e, attached to the bottom of the knapsack, said steadypieces consisting of sheaths of leather f, to the forward ends of which buckles g are secured to receive the ends d d of the neckband, as shown in Fig. 1, and of wooden strips h therein, as indicated. These steady-pieces are atthe knapsack, and are secured obliquely thereto, as shown, and are made to projectin front 0f the knapsack a sufficient distance to touch the sides or hips of the soldier when in use. They thus prevent the sidewise swaying movement of the knapsack, so annoying to the soldier when on the double-quick. Besides this, the lower portions of the neckband B, instead of being drawn under the armpits, as shown in my patent of January 28, 1862, thus pinching the soldier under his arms, as now shown, pass down more directly in front of his person, thus avoiding the objectiony named, as well as affording' a greater facility for buckling and unbuckling, tightening and loosening the neckband.

As shown in Figs. l and 2, shoulder-straps it are attached securely to that portion of the neckband which clasps the nape of the neck of the wearer when in use, the outer ends of said stra-ps being made to engage with buckles g', secured to the top of the knapsack, as indicated. Near the junction of the straps t i with the neck band or yoke B, I secure,in any proper manner, straps c', as clearly shown in Figs. l and 2. By these means I am enabled to utilize the connections with the top of the knapsack for carrying a shelter-tent, CX, in addition to the blanket or overcoat I), and by thus placing the shelter-tent or other large package UX at the point indicated it has the desired eifect of keeping the yoke77 and connecting-straps z' i down to their proper place upon the shoulders of the wearer in such manner as to prevent what is termed the hogging of the knapsack, by reason of which its lower inner corner or edge is made to impinge against the hollow of the back of the wearer, and which objection especially occurs when the top of the knapsack is iopheavy or overloaded. These straps c c next to the neck may be used for a large blanket or roll, while the straps c on top of the knapsack can, as heretofore, be used for a small roll or bundle, thus bringing the heavy roll directly over the spine of the wearer, and in the best position to be sustained with ease. The soldier is thus enabled to carry his shelter-tent, blanket, and overcoat with ease and without overloading his knapsack for such tached near the outer edges of the bottom of purpose. By thus slinging7 a knapsack it will be seen by reference to Fig. 2 that by detachingV the neck-yoke or neckband B from the buckles g and g the same may be utilized as an oiicers blanket-strap, or it may be used by the common soldier for simply carrying a blanket or a shelter-tent when making` foxced marches, or while in the discharge of scout7 or picket duty. When so used, the eX- tremities of the neckband B may b e united ina knot, as at l, on the back of the wearer, or said extremities may be buckled directly to the ordinary body-band, m, as indicated in said figure. My mode of slin ging knapsacks is thus convertible either to the purposes shown in Fig. 1 or Fig. 2, as occasion may require-a very important consideration in connection with this class of devices.

It is evident my improvements may be applied to what is known as a skeleton knap# sack, consisting of a single lapel to rest upon the shoulders and back of the wearer in place of the entire body portion of a knapsack,

bination With the connecting,r strap or straps i and yoke or neck strap B, in the manner and for the purpose substantially as set forth. 2. The steady-pins e e, in combination with the knapsack A, substantially in the manner and'jfor the purpose set forth.

Witness my hand in the matter of my improved knapsack this 18th day of November,

JOSEPH SHORT. Witnesses:

Jos. CLOUTMAN, CHARLES SHORT. 

